The American Cheese Society Judging and Competition, the largest event of its kind for American-made
cheeses, will take place May 19-20, 2022, at the TCF Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis campus. Canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, the Judging and Competition (J&C) will
be held separately from the Conference in 2022 for the first time. Following this year’s virtual 38th ACS
Annual Conference (July 28-30, 2021), entries for the J&C will open in October 2021, with winners announced
at the 39th ACS Annual Conference, which will be held in Portland, Oregon from July 20-23, 2022.

The ACS Competition shines the spotlight on American cheesemakers by showcasing their talents and work as
leaders within the industry, both for their excellent cheesemaking and commitment to food safety. Growing
from just 89 entries 37 years ago, the ACS J&C welcomed cheeses and cultured dairy products from 257
companies in 2019, when it was last held in Richmond, Virginia. Competing entries represented 35 U.S. states,
4 Canadian provinces, Mexico, and Brazil. The ACS awarded a total of 433 awards including 139 gold medals,
143 silver medals and 151 bronze medals. The 2022 event is expected to receive 1500 entries in 120 categories.

“Given the extraordinary year we’ve all had, we are very excited to welcome entries for the Judging and
Competition this October,” said Lynn Giacomini Stray, board vice president of ACS. “This is a significant
event which celebrates the individual efforts of talented cheesemakers who continue to collectively advance the
quality and character of American cheeses, while offering our members the opportunity for valuable feedback
from expert judges,” she added.

Cheeses entered in the competition will be received May 17-18, 2022, with judging from May 19-20. More
information will be shared at the virtual 38th ACS Conference, which will gather artisan cheesemakers,
industry professionals, purchasers, and influencers from the United States, Canada, and Europe. Registration for
the “Moving Forward Together with Purpose” event remains open at https://www.cheesesociety.org/2021-
conference/. The schedule of events and extensive roster of speakers offer attendees unparalleled educational
and competitive advantages that they can return to without restriction until the end of October, 2021. Sponsors
supporting the 2021 virtual conference include Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, DPI Specialty Foods, Gourmet
Foods International, Murray’s Cheese, Whole Foods, and the American Cheese Education Foundation.

For a list of past J&C winners and judges, visit https://www.cheesesociety.org/competition-winners.